To Change the Future
by stephfarrow94
Summary: After a terrible incident during the war, Shino is sent back to a young Kakashi's time, where he knows if he wants to save his own timeline, he's going to have to try and change the future. What rolls do Obito and Kakashi play in this? Kakashi/Shino light Obito/Shino yaoi
1. Chapter 1

What was supposed to be an easy reconnaissance mission during the war turned into a battle for life as Shino Aburame's team was ambushed by what seemed like hundreds of Shinobi. The bug-master's teammate, Naruto Uzumaki, was further ahead, fighting off hordes of enemies.

The Jinchuriki, having sustained damage from a previous battle, was not as strong as he should have been, his reactions delayed and his blows weakened. It was clear enough that he was not going to last long in this fight, and Shino knew he could do nothing to help. Their other teammates had already either been slain or were barely alive, bleeding out on the ground as they twitched and whimpered.

Aburame moved forward as the slighter male fell, his loyalty towards his friend pushing his feet in the direction of Naruto, hoping that somehow, he could do something.

Bugs flew towards the enemies, cloaking the blond boy in a thick veil as Shino dropped to his side, needing no medical expertise to know that his friend wasn't going to make it – not this time.

"Naruto..." Shino reached out, putting a hand on a bloodied shoulder. His eyes, hidden behind black glasses, scanned the teenager's body, achingly aware of all the blood and injuries.

Naruto coughed as he glanced up at the boy, his eyes half lidded. He flinched as Kurama spoke to him, his biju's voice weak, calmer than it had ever been before.

"_Send him back, Naruto," _the nine-tailed fox hissed into his vessel's mind. "_He can fix this."_

Naruto, without conscious awareness of how, understood immediately what Kurama was saying. He nodded, turning his attention back to the bug master.

"Shino..." Naruto coughed again as blood dribbled down his chin. "...Shino, we can... We can..."

Shino leant in closer to hear what the other was saying, but it was too late; Naruto drifted off, his eyes slipping closed as all signs of life fled from him.

It hurt seeing his friend die before his eyes but, seconds later, all thoughts of Naruto were driven out of his mind as a black aura encased him, blinding him to his surroundings. A tug pulled at him and, once the shade was gone, he realised he was standing in one of Konoha's training fields – but why did something feel different?

Looking up at the Hokage faces carved into the mountain, he realised there were only four; Tsunade's face was missing, meaning only one thing. Had he... gone back in time...?


	2. Chapter 2

It was strange thing to be walking through the streets of what he knew to be Konoha from so many years ago, something Shino could never have dreamed he'd do. He wondered what he was supposed to do here; surely there was a reason he had been sent back in time, right?

With a sigh, Shino walked around the village, trying to come up with a strategy in mind; he couldn't just stay here and do nothing at all; there had to be something he could do to fix what would happen in the inevitable future.

Konoha looked almost the same as Abarame knew it as, with some small differences. There weren't as many shops as there were in his time, as many houses as he was used to, but the biggest thing that got him was how the Uchiha District was alive and blooming.

The boy wondered if the massacre never happened, would the war still occur? Would things still go the way they had in the future?

One thing Shino was glad to see was still the same was Ichiraku Ramen. Breathing a sigh of relief, he approached the stand, glad to feel some of the old familiarity wash over him.

Sitting down on one of the barstools, the brunet looked over at Teuchi, the man responsible for the stand. His daughter, Ayame, was cooking noodles in the corner of the working area. There were no other customers for which Abarame was thankful for; he didn't want to socialise after having gone through what he had. He was still trying to come to terms with his best friend's death, the fact that he was no longer in his own time – that he would probably never see his friends or family again.

"You look glum."

Shino hadn't realised he was looking down at his lap until he glanced up to address the man who had spoken to him. He just shrugged, not really wanting to reply.

Teuchi stood before the teen, looking down at him with a soft expression. "Want a bowl?"

Shino nodded in answer, waiting patiently for his meal to be cooked. Thoughts ran through his mind; what should he do? What was he supposed to do? Should he stay in this timeline or try to return back to his own?

If the brunet went back, he would have to deal with the results of a senseless war. If he remained in this time, he could potentially change all those outcomes. But what if he couldn't do anything? What if he made everything worse?

Before Shino could really think too much on the pros and cons, his train of thought was interrupted as a bowl of ramen was placed before him. He looked up and nodded at Ayame before he retrieved his chopsticks, hoping that a good meal would help him clarify his thoughts.

Things were quiet in Ichiraku Ramen, the only sounds that of Ayame cooking with the occasional snippet of conversation from passersby. Before Shino could ponder on this too much, Teuchi spoke to him once again, his voice soft as he addressed the other.

"Would you like a job?" the bald man offered.

Shino blinked behind dark shades. He stared blankly at his elder as he processed this offer; was he really... being offered a job...?

Should he take it? Should he not? If Shino couldn't get back to the future, he would need an income if he were to survive here, right?

It was better to be here – somewhere he was familiar with – than elsewhere, not knowing anything or anyone.

With little reluctance, the brunet nodded, accepting the offer. "Thank you."

"Great." The large man clapped his hands together once, a large grin taking over his face. "For the record, how old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"Really?" Teuchi's frown returned once again as he surveyed his new worker. "You don't look any older than fourteen."

With a blink, Shino looked down, confused by this statement; surely he had still retained his physical appearance...

"What the...?"

Shino couldn't have been more surprised to find himself in the body he had donned at only thirteen years of age. Was this part of the time travel...? What was going on? This couldn't have gotten weirder if it wanted to.

Sighing inwardly, Shino shrugged, not wanting to address Teuchi's confusion. "I guess that's true."

Teuchi was a happy man, and he was quick to regain his joy as he dropped the subject of Shino's age. "You can start work tomorrow. Be here bright and early and Ayame will get you started."

Shino nodded as he got to his feet, wanting to get away from here and just be by himself; he needed time to adjust to everything that had happened, and being questioned about things he had no answer to was not helping.

However, just as Shino walked out of the stand, he bumped into a smaller boy walking _in. _Uttering a quiet apology, he kept walking, not glancing back at the boy he had accidently knocked to the ground.

The only thing Shino heard from the two as he left them was a cool voice calling the other a baby for tearing up, the other retaliating angrily.

Silver hair disappeared into Ichiraku Ramen, a head of raven following soon after.


End file.
